Montenegro–European Investment Bank Strategic Meeting
New financial arrangements for healthcare, railway infrastructure, and the energy transition confirm Montenegro’s European course and the EIB’s support for the EU accession process
Montenegro and the European Investment Bank have confirmed a strong strategic partnership with the launch of new investments worth more than €250 million, aimed at improving the healthcare system, modernising railway infrastructure, and supporting the energy transition of small and medium-sized enterprises.
During the official visit to Montenegro by the President of the EIB, Nadia Calviño, a meeting was held with the Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, at which it was noted that EIB investments in Montenegro during 2026 would be tripled compared with the previous year. In the presence of Prime Minister Spajić and President Calviño, key financial agreements were signed, comprising:
• A loan for the project of equipping healthcare facilities in Montenegro;
• A project for the modernisation of the electrified single-track railway on the Bar–Golubovci section, including the Ratac landslide and the Sozina tunnel;
• An investment grant for the Orient/East-Mediterranean Corridor – the Bar–Vrbnica railway route, Golubovci–Bar section;
• As well as a financing agreement between the EIB and the Development Bank of Montenegro.
The agreements were signed by the Minister of Finance, Novica Vuković; the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Coordinator of the Ministry of Transport, Filip Radulović; the Executive Director of the Development Bank of Montenegro, Nikola Tripković; and the Vice-President of the EIB, Robert de Groot.
In the healthcare sector, the EIB has approved a €27 million loan to equip more than 30 public hospitals and clinics with modern medical technology, with the aim of improving disease prevention and the quality of healthcare services.
For the modernisation of the railway between the Port of Bar and Golubovci, a total of €175 million has been allocated, comprising an EIB loan of €63 million and a European Union grant of €112 million through the Western Balkans Investment Framework. It is expected that the project will enhance the capacity, safety, and efficiency of rail transport, while further strengthening regional connectivity and integration with the European Union.
In addition, a loan agreement worth €50 million was signed with the Development Bank of Montenegro, intended to provide new credit lines for small and medium-sized enterprises for the implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
Prime Minister Milojko Spajić noted that the conclusion of the agreements with the EIB represents a confirmation of the strong partnership between Montenegro and the European Investment Bank, emphasising that the investments in question are ones that citizens feel directly through an improvement in their quality of life, and that they also confirm that the state is responsibly implementing reforms and advancing on its European path. He also underscored the significance of the fact that the EIB has had an office in Montenegro since November of last year, noting that this will further intensify cooperation on future projects in the fields of education, environmental protection, and transport infrastructure, including the continuation of road modernisation and the implementation of the second section of the motorway. The President of the EIB, Nadia Calviño, welcomed Montenegro’s progress and reiterated her support for the objective of concluding the EU accession negotiations by the end of the year.
As she stated, the EIB Group will continue to support Montenegro’s European path through investments that improve citizens’ daily lives and the economy’s competitiveness, particularly by strengthening the healthcare system, modernising railway infrastructure, and accelerating the energy transition.
Since 2009, the European Investment Bank has allocated a total of €1.5 billion to projects in Montenegro across education, healthcare, environmental protection, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, and sustainable transport. Montenegro is today the largest beneficiary of EIB funds per capita relative to GDP among the Western Balkan states and the countries covered by the European Union’s enlargement policy.